The mystical allure of Swami's

Encinitas beach famed for communal charm, smokin' waves

Before Swami's Beach gained its current name, the Encinitas hot spot was known for decades as Noonan's Point, in honor of James Noonan, who bought the property in 1887. (Charlie Neuman / Union-Tribune)

Before Swami's Beach gained its current name, the Encinitas hot spot was known for decades as Noonan's Point, in honor of James Noonan, who bought the property in 1887. (Charlie Neuman / Union-Tribune)

We've spent more than two months featuring distinctive sites along our county's coastline.

Now, it's your turn to be in the spotlight. Tell us about your favorite beach -- the spot where you fell in love, the place you can't stop visiting, the most majestic slice of sand and saltwater you've ever seen.

Share your story, in 200 words or less, with reporter Mike Lee. Write to him at mike.lee@uniontrib.com and include a phone number where he can reach you.

Black's
17% (69)

Cardiff
5% (20)

Coronado
1% (5)

Del Mar
6% (23)

Imperial Beach
5% (20)

La Jolla Shores
4% (15)

Oceanside
4% (15)

Sunset Cliffs
12% (48)

Swami's
15% (60)

Tourmaline
6% (26)

Trestles
11% (44)

Windansea
10% (41)

Other (add your thoughts in comments, below)
4% (15)

401 total votes.

U-T Multimedia:
To see a video and more photos of Swami's Beach and read past installments of the Coasting series, go to
uniontrib.com/more/coasting

Austin Lorber of Menehune Surf Camp led the way down the stairway at Swami's Beach as students (from left) Seth Kading, 6, and Gus Walker, 5, followed. Behind Seth was his mother, Gladi Kading, carrying 17-month- old Laird.

+Read Caption

Austin Lorber of Menehune Surf Camp led the way down the stairway at Swami's Beach as students (from left) Seth Kading, 6, and Gus Walker, 5, followed. Behind Seth was his mother, Gladi Kading, carrying 17-month- old Laird.

Almost every morning, Tom English cruises from his home in Leucadia to Swami's Beach in Encinitas with a surfboard strapped to the top of his Lexus SUV.

The financial adviser is an easy figure to spot as he cuts across the surf zone on his stand-up paddle board. He's also a well-known figure, claiming veteran status with the Swami's Surfing Association — one of the oldest clubs of its kind in California.

English has played with the waves there for 25 years. He's sure that Swami's is the ideal surfing spot in San Diego County, not only because it's an internationally famous point break but also because of its communal charm — the nearby meditation garden, the yoga practitioners and the regular morning gaggle of surfers who sip coffee on top of the sandstone cliffs.

“It's kind of a magical place,” said English, a tanned and muscular 45-year-old whose business caters to surfers. “It sets the tone for a really good, positive day where you can deal with anything.”

Swami's draws top surfers from around the world, particularly during the fall and winter, when waves can surpass 10 feet. On those days, dozens of surfers line up for their shot at riding a big wave, and the cliffs are packed with onlookers.

“It's one of the most competitive, high-performance waves in all of California. . . . You really need to know what you are doing to surf out there without causing a problem,” English said. “(Those) not skilled enough are basically told that there isn't a place for people who are making mistakes.”

Summer is the offseason at Swami's, when pods of dolphins and the “dawn patrol” of business professionals have the slate-gray waves more or less to themselves.

As English packed up one recent day, Chris Withey, 24, of Ramona pulled his truck into the parking lot above the surf break. Withey, a Poway firefighter, finishes his shift at 8 a.m. and then often hits Swami's for a few hours.

“This is the advantage of my job,” Withey said as he waxed his board. “By the time I get out here, usually (the businessmen) are going back to work.”

Withey started surfing at the spot because that's where his dad surfed and, well, “you always hear about Swami's.”

He has never had trouble with overzealous locals trying to keep him out. “As long as you stay out of the way and follow the surfing rules, you are not going to have a problem,” Withey said.

Jan Mayer, 60, of Sandy, Utah, said he mostly gave up surfing in California years ago because of the crowds and their rudeness. He prefers to surf at secluded beaches in Central America, but he recently stopped at Swami's when visiting friends in the area.

“The number of surfers is growing every year, but the number of surf spots is not. . . . It's a real dilemma,” Mayer said. “Swami's is one of the last fairly mellow places where I can still get a wave on small days.”

The shape of Swami's waves — which English describes as long, well-defined walls of water — helps it maintain top billing along with other iconic surf sites in the county, including Windansea in La Jolla and Trestles near the border with Orange County.

Before gaining its current name, the Encinitas hot spot was known for decades as Noonan's Point, in honor of James Noonan, who bought the property in 1887.

About 50 years later, a hermitage was built on the bluffs above the beach for Indian guru Paramahansa Yogananda. That was followed by construction of the Golden Lotus Temple and then the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple, which still stands today.

The white walls and lotus domes of the religious sanctuary add mystique to the beach below, making Swami's one of the most recognizable spots in North County. The beach's name comes from Yogananda's membership in the monastic Swami Order.

While surfing has long been the focal activity at Swami's, it's not the only attraction.

Each morning, some people practice yoga on the sand while others get their exercise by climbing the five-story flight of stairs that connect the beach to the bluff-top parking lot of Swami's Park.

During low tides, children scour the beach for tiny octopuses and seashells in the extensive tide pools revealed by the receding water.

Swami's was pretty much a local secret until the early 1960s, when a surfing magazine publicized the point break, said Jane Schmauss at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside.

“Then, ‘boom!’ Guys were coming from all over,” she said.

About the same time, a mention in the Beach Boys hit song “Surfin' U.S.A.” added to Swami's allure. A group of teens who regularly enjoyed the beach's waves formed the Swami's Surfing Association in part to compete against youths from other famous breaks.

The club went dormant once the initial group moved grudgingly into adulthood. But it was revived in the 1980s, according to a recent retrospective in
The Ocean Magazine.

These days, about 40 people belong to the association. They travel to competitions up and down the California coast and host community projects such as beach cleanups and helping disabled people learn how to surf. Membership is by invitation only.

The club holds an annual surf contest. Strangely, it's not at Swami's. Participants meet at nearby Cardiff State Beach.

“Part of it is the sacredness,” English said as he scanned the waves at Swami's. “We really want to preserve it and keep it for ‘soul surfing.’ Contests are the complete opposite of what this is about.”

If you go

Swami's Beach is off South Coast Highway in Encinitas.

Parking is available on the shoulder of the highway overlooking the beach.

Limited parking also is available at Swami's Park, which has a restroom. From there, a long series of stairs leads to the beach.

Surfing at Swami's is regulated informally by locals who say the break is not a place for beginners, particularly in the fall and winter, when the big waves hit.

During low tides, the ocean pulls back to reveal tide pools.

For serene views of the ocean, visit the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple's free meditation garden at 215 K St.